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Karadzic defiant at Hague hearing Karadzic defiant at Hague hearing
(30 minutes later)
Ex-Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has insisted he needs more time to prepare his defence, during his first appearance at his war crimes trial.Ex-Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has insisted he needs more time to prepare his defence, during his first appearance at his war crimes trial.
Mr Karadzic told a procedural hearing in The Hague that he had not been given the opportunity to go through vast amounts of prosecution documents.Mr Karadzic told a procedural hearing in The Hague that he had not been given the opportunity to go through vast amounts of prosecution documents.
He is representing himself, and last week boycotted the start of his trial. He is representing himself and last week boycotted the start of his trial.
Presiding Judge O-Gon Kwon adjourned the trial, saying he would rule later in the week on how it will proceed.Presiding Judge O-Gon Kwon adjourned the trial, saying he would rule later in the week on how it will proceed.
At the start of Tuesday's special hearing, Mr Karadzic said: "I do not want to boycott these proceedings, but I cannot take part in something that has been bad from the start and where my fundamental rights have been violated." At the start of Tuesday's special hearing, Mr Karadzic said he has been "snowed under" by 1.3 million pages of documents submitted by prosecutors.
I cannot take part in something that has been bad from the start and where my fundamental rights have been violated Radovan Karadzic
He said he needed another 10 months to prepare his defence.
Judge Kwon replied that the court had already determined the defendant had had ample time to prepare.Judge Kwon replied that the court had already determined the defendant had had ample time to prepare.
"Clearly you disagree with these decisions," the judge added. "However, as I previously stated to you, it is the trial chamber, not an accused person, which determines readiness for trial.""Clearly you disagree with these decisions," the judge added. "However, as I previously stated to you, it is the trial chamber, not an accused person, which determines readiness for trial."
Balancing interests Mr Karadzic said he did not want to boycott proceedings but could not "take part in something that has been bad from the start and where my fundamental rights have been violated".
The trial opened on 26 October, but Mr Karadzic failed to attend.
When he again failed to appear the following day, the judge said the defendant had chosen not to exercise his right to be present and "must therefore accept the consequences", announcing that the court would proceed in his absence.
KARADZIC WRITES TO JUDGE Read the contents of the letter Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here
Judge Kwon said the court would consider imposing a lawyer to represent Mr Karadzic if he continued to boycott proceedings.
Mr Karadzic, who protests his innocence, has said he will refuse to accept this.
He argues that he wishes to represent himself during the proceedings but needs more time to prepare his defence, despite being indicted in 1995.
The BBC's Geraldine Coughlan, in The Hague, says it is now up to judges to decide how to balance the interests of Mr Karadzic against those of the prosecution and the victims.
'Undisputed leader''Undisputed leader'
The former president of Republika Srpska, head of the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) and commander of the Bosnian Serb Army, faces two charges of genocide and nine more of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 1992-1995 war, which left more than 100,000 people dead. Mr Karadzic's trial opened on 26 October, when he failed to appear.
THE CHARGES Eleven counts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other atrocitiesCharged over shelling Sarajevo during the city's siege, in which some 12,000 civilians diedAllegedly organised the massacre of up to 8,000 Bosniak men and youths in SrebrenicaTargeted Bosniak and Croat political leaders, intellectuals and professionalsUnlawfully deported and transferred civilians because of national or religious identityDestroyed homes, businesses and sacred sites Karadzic trial: key events Q&A: Karadzic on trial Have your say: Trial expectationsTHE CHARGES Eleven counts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other atrocitiesCharged over shelling Sarajevo during the city's siege, in which some 12,000 civilians diedAllegedly organised the massacre of up to 8,000 Bosniak men and youths in SrebrenicaTargeted Bosniak and Croat political leaders, intellectuals and professionalsUnlawfully deported and transferred civilians because of national or religious identityDestroyed homes, businesses and sacred sites Karadzic trial: key events Q&A: Karadzic on trial Have your say: Trial expectations
Prosecutors have branded him the leader of an ethnic cleansing campaign in the Bosnian War, calling him the "undisputed leader" of Serbs responsible for carrying out atrocities during the conflict. When he again failed to show the following day, the judge said the defendant had chosen not to exercise his right to be present and "must therefore accept the consequences", announcing the trial would proceed in his absence.
In his opening statement, prosecutor Alan Tieger dwelt on the Srebrenica massacre, in which up to 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed. Judge Kwon has also said the court is considering imposing a lawyer to represent Mr Karadzic.
"The murder of these men and the expulsion of the women, children and elderly did not arise from nowhere," he said. The defendant was the president of Republika Srpska, head of the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) and commander of the Bosnian Serb Army during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War, which left more than 100,000 people dead.
"These crimes were the culmination of the accused's determination to cleanse eastern Bosnia to ensure the Serb state he envisioned." He was indicted in 1995, and faces two charges of genocide and nine more of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Mr Karadzic was taken to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague last year, after 13 years in hiding. He was taken to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague last year, after 13 years in hiding.
Prosecutors say Mr Karadzic was the leader of an ethnic cleansing campaign in the Bosnian War, calling him the "undisputed leader" of Serbs responsible for carrying out atrocities during the conflict.
Prosecutors have said he is responsible for the Srebrenica massacre, in which up to 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed.
Mr Karadzic has not entered a plea, but is protesting his innocence.
He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.